AMC Blogs

AMC Receives 7 Critics' Choice Nominations

2013-05-22T17:15:14Z

This morning, the Broadcast Television Journalists Association announced its nominations for the 3rd annual Critics' Choice Television Awards, and AMC was honored with seven nominations across categories such as Best Actor and Actress in a Drama Series, Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Drama Series, Best Drama Series and Best Reality Series.

AMC's nominations include:
· Best Drama Series: Breaking Bad
· Best Actor in a Drama Series: Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead)
· Best Actress in a Drama Series: Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)
· Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad)
· Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad)
· Best Reality Series: Small Town Security

This marks the second nomination for Breaking Bad in the Best Drama Series category. In the Best Actor - Drama category, this marks the second nomination for Bryan Cranston for his portrayal of Walter White, with Cranston garnering one win in 2012; and the first nomination for The Walking Dead's Andrew Lincoln for his portrayal of Rick Grimes. This marks the third nomination for Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss in the Best Actress - Drama category for her portrayal of Peggy Olson. In the Supporting Actor category, this marks the first nomination for Jonathan Banks and the second for Anna Gunn. This marks the first nomination for Small Town Security in the Best Reality category.

The Critics' Choice Television Awards will be presented on Mon., Jun. 10 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

Ask Joan - Small Town Security's Chief on Cleavage, Canned Food and Sleeping at Work

2013-05-22T16:30:00Z

Small Town Security's Chief Joan Koplan shares weekly workplace wisdom in her "Ask Joan" advice column. This week, Joan fields questions about addressing inappropriate attire, honesty on the job and the problem with canned corn.

Q: How do you deal with a co-worker who always wears inappropriate clothing in the office? Is there a way to respectfully tell them their dress (or lack thereof) makes me uncomfortable? --McGilligcuddy

A: If someone's dressing cheap, like a female with a short hemline on her dress, showing a lot of her breasts -- I don't mean like the nipples -- but she's got a lot hanging out, I think that's inappropriate. Believe me, I'm no prude. But that's just not right. You just have to sit them down nicely and say, "I'm sorry, but that's not what I want to see throughout the day."

Q: My new job involves a lot of desk time and I'm noticing I have to watch what I eat now. How do I balance eating whatever the hell I want with not gaining a ton of weight? -- Justin Pease

A: I've been trying to eat a lot of canned vegetables. I've been putting them under the sink with hot water and draining them, getting most of the salt off. I looked yesterday and just a regular-sized can of corn said it has 300 mg of sodium. That's a lot of sodium!

[Brian Taylor in background]: That's not a lot of sodium!

JK: Yes, it is!

BT: That's not a big deal.

JK: Well, now Brian's saying it's not a big deal.

BT: It isn't a big deal. Not for a woman who eats ribs.

JK: I don't eat that many ribs.

BT: Yes, you--

JK: Oh, God. here we go! Will you please? I'm on the phone. Ugh, such idiots. I've never seen such weirdos.

Q: My son is interested in becoming a security officer. What type of training is required? -- Heather Howell

Showville Talent Coaches Alec Mapa and Lisette Bustamante Live Tweet During Series Premiere

2013-05-22T13:30:00Z

Good news: AMC's new original series Showville premieres this Thu., May 23 at 9/8c. More good news: Talent coaches Alec Mapa and Lisette Bustamante will be live-tweeing during both the East and West Coast broadcasts. To get a behind-the-scenes perspective on the quirky performers you'll see on the show, follow Alec on Twitter at @AlecMapa and follow Lisette on Twitter @LisettesLife. Not on Twitter? Not a problem. You can read Alec and Lisette's Twitter feeds on their Showville cast pages.

The Mad Men Fashion File - In Your Dreams

2013-05-22T13:00:01Z

What's the easiest way to show characters in hazy states of reality? Dress them normally...then surround them with people wearing pajamas. That's the brilliant tactic costume designer Janie Bryant uses in this speed-fueled episode, where most events could be hallucinations, and even by the end, some did-they-or-didn't-they moments still hover. (Hey Ken, can you really tap dance?!)

The nightgown-and-day-clothes juxtaposition starts early: Don stands outside Sylvia's door, fully dressed. He even wears a hat and overcoat. Meanwhile, Sylvia's on the other side of the door wearing a pink quilted robe and a sleepy blue turban. Next, Young Dick Whitman and his Evil Stepmother are covered up and conservative, while surrounded by prostitutes in silk nighties and open kimonos. This motif gets even more dizzy when the scene is inverted so far that Young Dick is dressed -- and wearing suspenders -- in Aimee's bed, while she walks around in a slip. Later, Sally's wearing a pink nightie when her reality is totally tipped over by Fake Grandma Ida, who's fully dressed, also with an overcoat and hat. (Is the similarity to Don and Sylvia earlier just coincidence?) And after Don collapses, we see him in his undershirt -- undressed, but not exactly pajama-ed -- next to Megan's bright green negligee. Sitting up in bed, Don looks like he's in limbo. Is he dreaming? Is he dying? Is it daytime? Is it night? The T-shirt could be worn at any time...and just like Ginsberg's Cheshire Cat reference, Don's consciousness doesn't know if it's coming or going.

Catch Up on Season 6 With a Mad Men Mini-Marathon This Sunday

2013-05-22T13:00:00Z

If you've missed an earlier episode of the current season of Mad Men, and you wonder what your friends are talking about when they refer to Ken's tap-dance or Pete falling down the stairs, here's a chance to right yourself: Tune in this Sun., May 26 at 1:30PM/12:30c when the first eight episodes of Mad Men Season 6 encore on AMC. The mini-marathon will lead directly into the premiere of an all new episode, "The Better Half" at 10PM/9c.

Click here to see the full Mad Men schedule.

Story Notes for 300

2013-05-22T02:31:00Z

Weeknights during prime time on AMC, you can catch Story Notes -- real time trivia and facts about your favorite movies! Below is the online version of the Story Notes for 300.

Anthology Note
300: Rise of an Empire (2013) is the sequel, starring Lena Headey and Rodrigo Santoro.

Award Note
300 won Saturn Awards for Best Director and Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film.

Biography Notes
Director Zack Snyder started work on 300 before he even made his first movie, Dawn of the Dead (2004).

Lena Headey and Dominic West were friends before this movie. Headey jokes, "He's insane, so that helps."

British actor Dominic West is a Roman General in Centurion (2010).

Gerard Butler went on to star in Coriolanus (2011) and Olympus Has Fallen (2013).

Your Chance to Guest Star on AMC's Comic Book Men May Have Arrived

2013-05-21T15:34:50Z

Earlier this year, did you spend Thursday nights watching AMC's Comic Book Men and surrounded by your superhero memorabilia? Or maybe you just have a passion for comics and pop-culture that rivals that of Kevin Smith and his Secret Stash staff? Either way, here's a chance to achieve fan-boy fame by appearing on AMC's Comic Book Men as a guest seller or shopper. To apply, fill out the easy-to-follow Comic Book Men casting application online. Please note: All applicants must be 18 years of age or older.

Click here for a chance to be on Comic Book Men.

Want to Keep In-the-Know on AMC's Showville? Sign Up for the AMC Newsletter

2013-05-21T13:00:00Z

Looking forward to this Thursday's premiere of AMC's Showville? Then you're likely eager for the latest on the show's quirky talent, too. What's the best way to keep up-to-date on this small town talent show? Sign up for the AMC Newsletter. That's how. You'll get interviews with that episode's winner plus a video of the corresponding performance. You'll also get news on other AMC series such as Small Town Security, Mad Men and The Killing. Don't waste another minute...

Showville premieres Thursday at 9/8c on AMC.

Story Notes for The Scorpion King

2013-05-21T02:01:00Z

Weeknights during prime time on AMC, you can catch Story Notes -- real time trivia and facts about your favorite movies! Below is the online version of the Story Notes for The Scorpion King.

Anthology Notes
The Scorpion King (2002) is a prequel to The Mummy Returns. It's set 5,000 years earlier. The movie tells the origin story of the Scorpion King -- a character in The Mummy Returns.

The movie spawned two straight-to-DVD sequels with different actors playing Mathayus.

Award Notes
The Rock was nominated for Favorite Male Butt Kicker at the Kids' Choice Awards for this movie.

The Scorpion King was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film.

Photos - Postcards From the Small Towns Featured in Showville

2013-05-20T13:30:00Z

AMC's upcoming Showville focuses on quirky contestants in small town talent shows yet what about the towns themselves? Want to learn more about locations like Mount Airy, North Carolina or Walla Walla, Washington or Hugo, Oklahoma? Now you can check out all eight stops made in AMC's new original series with this photo gallery of postcards.

Showville premieres Thursday at 9/8c on AMC.

Q&A - Chris Large (Unit Photographer)

2013-05-20T13:00:00Z

Unit Photographer Chris Large, who shoots episodic still photography for AMC's Hell on Wheels, talks about collaborating with the special effects team and capturing gunfire on camera.

Q: You've worked on several Westerns, including AMC's Broken Trail. Is that how you got this job?

A: With my background in Westerns -- I've done about 20 different Westerns -- Hell on Wheels seemed like a pretty good fit for me. For Westerns, there is a very specific shooting style needed. Half the time, they're on horseback and shooting up at an actor isn't the most flattering angle. You spend a lot of time on a ladder or platforms so you can shoot the actors on horses straight-on.

Q: How many cameras do you use in a typical shoot? What do you use each one for?

A: In my kit, I carry four bodies. Generally, I have at least three cameras around my neck. I have one that is almost to be confused with a point-and-shoot, but it's very light and totally quiet. One of my main cameras will be in a "blimp," which is a soundproof housing. I'll have another body with a 24-120 mm zoom on it. The fourth body will have the equivalent of 100-300 mm zoom on it. With a show like Hell on Wheels, it's such a broad campus. The set is so big and the action can take place way in the background up to a close-up all in one continuous take. It's nice to have a wide variety of glass on me at all times.

Q: How do you deal with smoke from the guns being fired?

A Day on the Set of Breaking Bad - Part II

2013-05-20T04:00:42Z

This is the second and final part of AMC.com's report from the set of Breaking Bad. Click here to read Part I.

Over lunch, Michael Slovis tells me that the seriousness and heightened stakes of these final episodes of Breaking Bad has had a noticeable effect on the crew. "This set is usually a very congenial, easy-going place to work," he says. "Now there's a wistfulness that indeed we're in the last episodes, and after this we're all going to go our separate ways."

What's more, he says, there's a stress level that comes with a desire to stick the landing; to make sure the ending is what the writers envisioned and the fans are hoping for. "It's been the credo of this show to not leave any open ends at all," he says. "Everything gets summed up. All actions have consequences, and every action will be met with an even greater reaction. So something you saw in Season 3 and maybe forgot about may just resurface in Season 5."

Endings are indeed on the forefront of peoples' minds. Between takes, Anna Gunn wipes a tear as she tells me, "It's been so intense. I feel like my head is going to explode." Aaron Paul swears he's OK for now, but knows that when the wrap date gets closer, "I'm gonna be a mess." Bryan Cranston admits that after six years and sixty-two episodes, he could even go for another season -- "But I respect Vince Gilligan's decision not to draw the story out and dilute it," he adds. "And now that it's ending, every episode is just..." Here he slaps his hands together and then shoots his right arm forward, mimicking a car speeding away at full throttle.

Dispatches From the Set - John Sanders (Props Master)

2013-05-20T04:00:42Z

The Walking Dead's Props Master John Sanders talks about the strangest items he's found for the show and the new method of killing walkers that he's got in store for Season 4.

Q: As the guy in charge of all the props, what are some staples that bear your mark?

A: The new crossbow for Daryl -- I altered that one for the show. I took Norman [Reedus] to a bow range for him to shoot. I was kind of showing off with the guys there, and I was showing him some of the top-end crossbows. I let him shoot the Stryker 380, and once he shot that he had me take pictures of him and had me send them to the producers, and immediately it got in the works that we wanted him to have it. Michonne's sword I actually helped design between Season 2 and Season 3. I used some friends of mine at United Cutlery to help me. I knew it was a huge piece in the show, so I wanted to make something really iconic and add some elements that are really closer to my heart. The triple goddess and the trinity of life; those things are important to me in my life, and close to my wife.

Q: Do you find the actors getting attached to their character's weapons?

A: Andy [Lincoln] is very specific about the Python. He wants that gun on him every second of the day, when he can have it. He stays on set most of the time, so we pretty much let him walk around with that gun, and keep that in-character feel all day long. Norman always carries his knife all day long, same thing. And when he has the crossbow or the motorcycle, he likes to be in character, also. Michael Rooker when he died really wanted his bayonet prosthetic. Everybody wants a little memento, especially big character things, but we can't really let them go.

Q: There are certain situations where you use rubber guns and knives. Does that mean there are particular situations when you use real knives and real guns?

Q&A - January Jones (Betty Francis)

2013-05-19T13:00:00Z

In this interview, January Jones, (Betty Francis on AMC's Mad Men) discusses parenting and her character's capacity for change.

Q: How did the public's reaction to Betty change after her challenges in Season 5?

A: She became much more sympathetic when she got bigger. I think people liked her again, which I find very interesting... When she's, you know, trying to be independent or to better her own life, people have a negative response to it. So, it seems like a very un-modern approach... I find it very confusing at times.

Q: Matthew Weiner says one of the themes of Season 6 is whether or not people can really change. Where do you stand on that?

A: I think it's very difficult to change, and I think that's what makes all these characters so interesting is that everyone can relate to the flaws in each character and the desire to change.

Q: Yet Betty's life is really different now than it was in Season 1. What does that say about her ability to change?

A: Each season I think she's a little bit different, and she really does make an effort to do that. If she can't change herself, she's trying to change her circumstances... I just think she's one of those people where she's never going to be truly satisfied and will kind of have that character flaw where she's always wanting what she doesn't have.

Q: Who do you think has a better chance of lasting happiness, Don or Betty?

Christina Hendricks on Lucky Cover; Video of Elisabeth Moss on Jimmy Kimmel Live

2013-05-17T13:00:00Z

This week, Christina Hendricks chats with Lucky magazine about her own style as well as Joan's, while Elisabeth Moss reads a tweet about herself on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Plus, Linda Cardellini talks with The Hollywood Reporter about Sylvia and Don's affair. Read on for more Mad Men news:

• Christina Hendricks, gracing the cover of Lucky, shares her style secrets and says, "I would play Joan forever."

• The Hollywood Reporter has video of Elisabeth Moss in the latest edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live's "Mean Tweets."

• New York's primer on how to write a TV drama cites Mad Men for many examples, such as, "Start with an anti-hero. Give him a secret."

• The Hollywood Reporter interviews Linda Cardellini, who reflects on Sylvia's affair: "She's a cheater like Don, but she handles it differently."

• Kevin Rahm speaks with Entertainment Tonight about the merger putting Peggy back in Don's orbit. Rahm also talks to Paste about the secrecy surrounding his elevation to a series regular in Season 6.